CN114375410A

CN114375410A - System and method for a safety post

Info

Publication number: CN114375410A
Application number: CN202080036644.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: M·达拉尔; C·王; T·毛; S·冯
Original assignee: Entropy Base Technology Usa Co ltd
Current assignee: Entropy Base Technology Usa Co ltd
Priority date: 2019-03-28
Filing date: 2020-03-27
Publication date: 2022-04-19
Also published as: US11966003B2; US20220196871A1; WO2020198575A1; WO2020198568A1; US20220196872A1; CN114303077A

Abstract

The present teachings relate to methods, systems, media, and embodiments for detecting a target object via a safety post. The plurality of segments are arranged in a vertical direction. Each zone is designated to detect a target object within the vertical range by receiving information related to the magnetic field from one or more sensors, analyzing the sensed information to extract features characterizing changes in the magnetic field within the corresponding vertical range, and determining whether the target object is present within the vertical range based on the extracted features. When a zone detects a target object, an alarm associated with the zone is triggered to indicate detection. The overall detection result is determined based on the detection result from each section and displayed on the display screen.

Description

System and method for a safety post

Cross reference to related applications

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application No. 62/825,454 filed on day 3, 28, 2019 and U.S. provisional application No. 62/825,407 filed on day 3, 28, 2019, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Technical Field

The present teachings relate generally to security. More particularly, the present teachings relate to safety devices and object detection thereof.

Background

Safety is an important aspect of daily life that ensures the safety of the public. This is particularly true in public meeting locations such as public transportation locations (e.g., airports, train stations, bus stations, etc.), meetings, and the like. Security gates are a security inspection instrument often deployed at, for example, airports, train stations, government offices or corporate entry points, cruise ships, etc., to detect metal objects that may be used as weapons. Security gates are typically deployed in places where there is a large flow of people (e.g., airports, meetings, or cruise ships). An example security gate is shown in figure 1 (prior art). As shown, the example security gate 100 is shaped as a gate having two vertical columns 110-1 and 110-2 and a ceiling portion 120. For security checks, detection devices may be embedded and deployed in security gates to detect certain designated objects. For example, security gates currently installed in public places can detect metal objects such as guns, knives, or scissors. When a security screened person walks through the security gate 100, the security gate will sound an alarm if the person carries metal items.

With the advancement of such detection and the reliability of such detection, methods of concealing harmful objects have also been developed. For example, instead of metal objects, some criminals may find ways to use electronic devices as potential weapons by incorporating an attack tool in such electronic devices (including laptops, tablets, phones, or even very small electronic devices). Currently, while security gates can be used to detect the presence of metallic objects in a non-contact manner, they cannot detect the presence of electronic devices.

Accordingly, there is a need for methods and systems that address such limitations.

Disclosure of Invention

The teachings disclosed herein relate to methods, systems, and programming for data processing. More particularly, the present teachings relate to methods, systems, and programs related to modeling a scene to generate scene modeling information and utilization thereof.

In one example, a method, implemented on a machine having at least one processor and a communication platform connectable to a network, for detecting a target object via a security post. The plurality of segments are arranged in a vertical direction. Each zone is designated to detect a target object within the vertical range by receiving information related to the magnetic field from one or more sensors, analyzing the sensed information to extract features characterizing changes in the magnetic field within the corresponding vertical range, and determining whether the target object is present within the vertical range based on the extracted features. When a zone detects a target object, an alarm associated with the zone is triggered to indicate detection. The overall detection result is determined based on the detection result from each section and displayed on the display screen.

In various examples, the present teachings disclose a safety post for detecting a target object. The safety post includes a base, an integral alarm, and a plurality of sections and a signal integration unit. A plurality of sections are arranged in a vertical direction between the base and the integral alarm, and each of the plurality of sections is designated to detect a target object within a corresponding vertical range. The signal integration unit is configured for integrating the detection results from the plurality of segments to derive an overall detection result. Each segment further includes one or more sensors configured to sense information related to a magnetic field within the corresponding vertical range, a signal processing unit configured to analyze the information to extract features characterizing changes in the magnetic field sensed within the corresponding vertical range and determine whether a target object is detected within the corresponding vertical range based on the extracted features, and a segment alarm configured to be triggered when the target object is detected.

Other concepts relate to software for implementing the present teachings. A software product according to this concept includes at least one machine-readable non-transitory medium and information carried by the medium. The information carried by the medium may be executable program code data, parameters associated with the executable program code, and/or user-related information, requests, content, or other additional information.

In one example, a machine-readable, non-transitory, and tangible medium having data recorded thereon for detecting a target object via a security pole having a plurality of sections arranged in a vertical direction. Each segment is programmed to detect a target object within the vertical range by receiving information related to the magnetic field from one or more sensors, analyzing the sensed information to identify patterns characterizing changes in the magnetic field within the corresponding vertical range, and determining whether the target object is present within the vertical range based on the identified patterns. When a zone detects a target object, an alarm associated with the zone is triggered to indicate detection. The overall detection result is determined based on the detection result from each section and displayed on the display screen.

Additional advantages and novel features will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following and the accompanying drawings or may be learned by production or operation of the examples. The advantages of the present teachings may be realized and attained by practice or use of various aspects of the methodologies, instrumentalities and combinations set forth in the detailed examples discussed below.

Drawings

The methods, systems, and/or programs described herein are further described in accordance with the exemplary embodiments. These exemplary embodiments are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are non-limiting exemplary embodiments, in which like reference numerals represent similar structures throughout the several views of the drawings, and in which:

figure 1 (prior art) illustrates a conventional security door with a post;

FIG. 2A depicts an exemplary configuration of a safety post according to embodiments of the present teachings;

FIG. 2B depicts a high-level system diagram of a section of a safety post according to an embodiment of the present teachings;

FIG. 2C is a flow chart of an exemplary process of a section of a safety post according to an embodiment of the present teachings;

FIG. 2D illustrates an exemplary implementation of a section of a safety post according to an embodiment of the present teachings;

FIG. 2E illustrates an alternative implementation of a section of a safety post according to an embodiment of the present teachings;

FIG. 3A illustrates an exemplary configuration of different portions of a safety post according to embodiments of the present teachings;

FIG. 3B illustrates an exemplary assembly of different portions of a safety post according to embodiments of the present teachings;

FIG. 3C illustrates an alternative configuration of different sections of a safety post according to embodiments of the present teachings;

FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary interior implementation of a section of a safety post according to an embodiment of the present teachings;

4B-4D illustrate an exemplary embodiment for attaching adjacent sections of a safety post according to an embodiment of the present teachings;

5A-5E depict an exemplary deployment of safety post(s) according to embodiments of the present teachings;

FIG. 6A illustrates the types of objects to be detected using the safety post and the means to detect them according to embodiments of the present teachings;

FIG. 6B depicts an exemplary high-level diagram of a security post connected to a server via a network connection, according to an embodiment of the present teachings;

FIG. 6C is a flow chart of an exemplary process of a safety post according to an embodiment of the present teachings;

FIG. 6D is an exemplary distribution characterizing magnetic field variations caused by the presence of metallic objects and electronic objects;

6E-6F illustrate exemplary thresholding criteria for classifying metal and electronic objects in accordance with embodiments of the present teachings;

FIG. 7A depicts an exemplary high-level architecture of a system in a safety post for detecting metal/electronic objects, in accordance with embodiments of the present teachings;

FIG. 7B illustrates different types of information that a safety post may extract in order to detect different types of information, according to embodiments of the present teachings;

FIG. 7C illustrates different types of models for a safety post for detecting different types of information, according to embodiments of the present teachings;

FIG. 8A depicts an exemplary high-level diagram of a system in a safety post for detecting metal/electronic objects in accordance with an embodiment of the present teachings;

FIG. 8B is a flow chart of an exemplary process for a system in a safety post for detecting metal/electronic objects in accordance with an embodiment of the present teachings;

FIG. 9 is an illustrative diagram of an exemplary mobile device architecture that can be used to implement a dedicated system embodying the present teachings in accordance with various embodiments; and

figure 10 is an illustrative diagram of an exemplary computing device architecture that can be used to implement a special purpose system that implements the present teachings in accordance with various embodiments.

Detailed Description

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth by way of examples in order to provide a thorough understanding of the relevant teachings. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present teachings may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and/or circuitry have been described at a relatively high-level, without detail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the present teachings.

The present teachings are directed to addressing the deficiencies of conventional safety posts for inspecting metal objects. In particular, the present teachings disclose a security post capable of detecting the presence of either a metallic object or an electronic device. In some embodiments, the present teachings disclose not only detecting the presence of metallic species having complex compositions, but also accurately distinguishing whether the detected metallic species is mixed with metal scrap or electronic equipment. That is, via analysis of a signal, such as some pattern of magnetic field change caused by the detected metal, it can be determined whether an electronic device is present. In some embodiments, the presence of the electronic device may also be detected via communication means. Upon detecting a mixture of metals that may indicate the presence of an electronic device, one or more communication signals conforming to certain corresponding protocols may be transmitted within the configured range. If a response signal is received, the presence of the electronic device is confirmed.

In some embodiments, a safety post according to the present invention is assembled with different sections, each section being independently configured to detect a metal or electronic object. Since different sections of the safety post correspond to different heights, section detection enables identification of a more precise location of the detected metal/electronic object. Each segment may include its own detection means and alarm means so that an alarm may be triggered when a metal/electronic object is detected. In some embodiments, one of the sections of the safety post according to the present teachings may include a display screen for displaying the detection information and providing an interface for a user to specify or set the operating parameters to be used by the different sections to function. In some embodiments, the detection of the metal object may be performed independently by each segment, and the detection of the electronic object may be performed in an integrated manner based on metal detection signals from different segments. In some embodiments, the detection results may be sent to a server located elsewhere for, for example, centralized control and data logging.

In some embodiments, a safety post according to the present teachings may also be configured to activate a means for acquiring additional information related to the detected surroundings upon detection of either a metallic object or an electronic object. Such additional information may include ambient information (such as physical, emotional, behavioral, or spatial information associated with the detection) and biometric information (such as facial information) either acquired from the sensor or analyzed based on the sensor data. Such additional information provides useful contextual information for the detected metal/electronic object and the person hiding the detected metal/electronic object.

FIG. 2A depicts an exemplary configuration of a safety post 200 according to embodiments of the present teachings. As shown in this embodiment, safety post 200 is assembled using different sections, including an upper section 210-1, a middle section 210-2, and a lower section 210-3. In some embodiments, each section is a segmented cylinder threaded connection, as will be discussed with reference to fig. 3A-3C and 4B-4C. The safety post 200 also includes an integral warning light 210-4, which may have an annular shape or any other suitable shape. Safety post 200 also includes a base 210-5 attached to a stand 210-6. Although three different sections are shown in fig. 2A, different configurations may be implemented. For example, there may be two sections. As another example, there may be more than three sections. The specific implementation may depend on the deployment of the safety post. For example, if the safety post is used in a setting where people of different heights (levels) can pass, the safety post may be quite tall so that more sections may be assembled to detect metal/electronic objects that people of different heights may carry.

Typically, security gates are metal detectors. It relies on the principle of electromagnetic induction. That is, when an alternating current is passed through the coil, it generates a rapidly changing magnetic field. When a metal object is present, such a magnetic field induces eddy currents inside the metal object. This induced eddy current may also generate a magnetic field, which in turn affects the original magnetic field caused by the coil. This magnetic field change can then be used to detect the presence of a metallic object. In generating the magnetic field, a certain frequency is generally used, for example 80-800 kHZ. It is known that magnetic fields having different frequencies are suitable for detecting different types of target objects. For example, the lower the operating frequency, the better the detection performance of the iron-based object. The higher the operating frequency, the better the detection performance for objects with high carbon steel.

In some embodiments, each segment is configured to independently detect a metal or electronic object. FIG. 2B depicts a high-level system diagram of one section (e.g., 210-1) of a safety post 200 according to embodiments of the present teachings. To enable detection, each section comprises some functional modules. As shown in fig. 2B, the zone includes a magnetic field generating unit 201, a sensing portion 202, a signal processing unit 204, and a zone alarm unit 206. The magnetic field generation unit 201 is configured to generate an original magnetic field, based on which a change in the original magnetic field is detected. In some embodiments, the magnetic field generation unit 202 may also generate more than one magnetic field, each magnetic field having different parameters (such as operating frequency) to enable detection of different types of target objects, depending on the application needs.

The sensing portion 202 is provided to detect any change in the original magnetic field and may include one or more sensors deployed to sense information related to changes in the magnetic field caused by, for example, metal. The sensor to be used may be any sensor that can be used to detect information related to the presence of a metal or metal mixture. For example, such sensors may include fluxgate sensors designed to detect the presence of metallic species. Such sensed information may then be analyzed by the signal processing unit 204 located in the same zone to determine whether the target object is present based on the sensed magnetic field changes. In the event that a target object is detected via signal processing, the zone alarm units 1206 in zone 210-1 trigger alarms associated with that zone.

Fig. 2C is a flow chart of an exemplary process of a section of safety post 200, according to an embodiment of the present teachings. To enable detection, the magnetic field generation unit 201 is activated to generate a magnetic field according to some predetermined parameters at 225. Such parameters may include frequency, etc., and may be determined based on the needs of a particular application (e.g., a particular type of target object to be detected). To detect the target object, the sensing section 202 is activated at 230 to sense information related to the change in the magnetic field caused by the presence of the metallic substance. The sensed information may then be sent to the signal processing unit 204 at 240. Upon receiving the sensed information, the signal processing unit 204 analyzes the information associated with the magnetic field and its changes at 250 to determine whether a metal or electronic object is present based on the features detected from the sensed magnetic field changes at 260. When it is determined that a metallic and/or electronic object is present, the zone alert unit 206 is activated to trigger the zone alert as a report.

Although each section of the illustrated embodiment has its own magnetic field generating unit, it is also possible to have an integral magnetic field generating unit for the entire safety post to generate a magnetic field that can be relied upon by all sections of the safety post. In some embodiments, it is also possible that the magnetic field generation unit may generate a plurality of magnetic fields, each magnetic field having a different parameter (such as operating frequency) and being used for a different set of objects. Such multiple magnetic fields may be generated simultaneously, or according to a time-switching schedule, such that at different time periods during the time-switching schedule, different magnetic fields are generated and used to detect a specified group of objects. When using a time-switching schedule, it is also possible to manage signal processing units located in different zones to operate synchronously according to the time-switching schedule to detect different target objects during such time slots.

Fig. 2D illustrates an exemplary implementation of a section of a safety post 200 according to an embodiment of the present teachings. In this exemplary embodiment, the illustrated section is, for example, an upper section 210-1, embedded with various parts, such as a sensing portion 202, a signal processing unit 204, and a section alarm unit 206. Notably, this exemplary embodiment also includes a zone alarm 208, which may correspond to a light, a speaker, or a combination of both a light and a speaker, such that when a metal/electronic object is detected, the zone alarm unit 206 may trigger to activate the zone alarm 208 to report the detected metal/electronic object. The segments also include a connection structure 207 at the bottom that may correspond to a male thread or a female thread joint to connect to a mating female thread or male thread joint of another segment to form a secure connection. Depending on the configuration, the lights may turn on (which may be static or flashing) when reporting detection, may broadcast a particular sound (e.g., a siren), or may activate a combination of both light and sound to report detection.

Fig. 2E illustrates an alternative implementation of a section of a safety post 200 according to an embodiment of the present teachings. As discussed herein, shown is upper section 210-1. In this embodiment, in addition to the sensing section 202, the signal processing unit 204, the section alarm unit 206 and the alarm lamp 208 implemented therein, there is a touchable display screen 212 implemented on the upper section. This touchable display screen may provide an interface for displaying the detection results to a user (e.g. a TSA officer at an airport) and allowing the user to specify various parameters to be used for operating the safety post via the touchscreen. For example, the interface may be used to display the detection results from different sections in some form. For example, the interface may be configured to display the most important detection results associated with a particular segment. It may also be arranged to display the detection results of all segments simultaneously. There may be various layouts available to display the detection results, and the user may choose to show the detection results using one of the layouts. Although in the illustrated embodiment as shown in fig. 2E, the touchable display is disposed on the upper section 210-1, it may also be implemented on a different section of the safety post.

The display screen may also serve as an interface that allows a user to interact with the detection system to specify operating parameters. Some of such parameters may be used for detection, e.g., sensitivity for detecting metal/electronic objects. Some of such parameters may also be relevant to how to alert the user to detected metal and electronic objects. For example, different colors may be assigned to the zone alarms to show different types of detection results or different degrees of certainty of e.g. detection results. The parameters of the loudness of the alarm are decided based on the confidence of the detection result, etc.

The various sections of the safety post 200 as disclosed herein may be manufactured separately and then assembled to construct the post 200. Fig. 3A shows different sections of a separately manufactured safety post 200 according to embodiments of the present teachings. As seen, each part is a separately manufactured article and they may be connected using, for example, an exemplary male/female threaded joint, as disclosed in fig. 4A-4C. Fig. 3B illustrates an exemplary safety post 200 assembled with different parts together using a connection structure (such as a male/female threaded joint) as shown in fig. 3A, according to embodiments of the present teachings. Fig. 3C shows an alternative arrangement of different sections of the safety post 200 according to embodiments of the present teachings. As can be seen, the difference between FIG. 3A and FIG. 3C is that the touchable display is on the upper section 210-1 in FIG. 3A and on the middle section 210-2 in FIG. 3B. In the illustrated embodiment, each segment is a cylinder with a threaded connection that securely couples adjacent cylinders together. Such embodiments are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to be limiting. Other structures for each section may also be used, and corresponding connecting structures may accordingly also be suitably deployed to securely tie adjacent sections together to form a safety post consistent with the present teachings.

Fig. 4A illustrates an exemplary internal implementation 400 of a section of a safety post 200, according to an embodiment of the present teachings. The exemplary embodiment 400 is deployed within each section of the safety post 200 and includes an embodiment of different functional modules as disclosed in fig. 2B. Specifically, embodiment 400 includes a board 410 having various portions implemented on board 410 to implement functionality corresponding to sensing section 202, signal processing unit 204, and section alarm unit 206. As shown, by way of example, a fluxgate sensor 420, a signal processing board 430 where one or more sensing means (such as the fluxgate sensor 420) are installed are included, the signal processing board 430 implementing the functions of the signal processing unit 204 and the zone alarm 485. There is also an electric wire 450 connecting the fluxgate sensor 420 and the signal processing board 430 and connected to an adjacent section via the PCB board 470 to enable a signal to be transmitted within the section or between the sections. There are other power lines 435 that deliver power to different parts on the board 400 and to adjacent sections via the PCB board 470. At one end of the board 410, there is a connector 480 for connecting the PCB board 460, which is connected to another adjacent section to receive power via a connection structure that will be discussed in detail with reference to fig. 4B-4D.

Fig. 4B-4D illustrate exemplary embodiments of a connection structure for attaching adjacent sections of a safety post 200, according to embodiments of the present teachings. Fig. 4B shows PCB board 460 (also in fig. 4A) of section 210-1 attached to the section via, for example, connector 480. To connect the section 210-1 to another section, the section 210-1 has a male connector 490-1 that mates with the female connector 490-2 in FIG. 4C. When the male connector 490-1 in section 210-1 mates with the female connector 490-2 of an adjacent section, the conductive concentric circles on the PCB board 460 contact the pogo pins 492 shown in fig. 4B. It is through such pogo pins 492 and the conductive connection circles on the PCB board 460 that power and other signals are delivered and transmitted from the connected segments to the segment 210-1.

In some embodiments, there is additional means to secure the connection of two adjacent segments in addition to the male and female connectors that connect the two segments. For example, in FIG. 4B, there is a hole 465-1 through which a securing means, such as a nail, may be driven to secure the connection of the two sections. Through this aperture, when a securing means is used (e.g., nailing), the securing means may protrude into the interior of the female connector 490-2, as at 465-2 in FIG. 4C. That is, the connection structure of the base 207 and each section of the safety post employs a male/female screw joint connection structure. The electrical connection between the sections is made through a spring ejector plus an annular PCB board. This is shown in fig. 4D. Each section has a segmented structure. I.e. a nested series arrangement is applied outside the pre-installed electrical boards. The segmented body of the safety post and the terminal joint between adjacent segments ensure maximum structural rigidity and tightness of the joint.

The safety post 200 as disclosed herein may be used in different applications. It may be either deployed as a post as is, or may be used in a different manner to form a security gate. Fig. 5A-5E depict exemplary deployments of safety post(s) according to embodiments of the present teachings. In fig. 5A, the security door 500 is constructed using two

security posts

510 and 520 and a roof structure 505. Each of the

safety posts

510 and 520 is similarly configured with a plurality of sections. As shown, the safety post 510 has an upper section 510-1, an intermediate section 510-2 and a lower section 510-3, an integral alarm 510-4 and a base 510-5. Similarly, the safety post 520 has an upper section 520-1, a middle section 520-2 and a lower section 520-3, an integral alarm 520-4 and a base 520-5. When a person passes through the security gate, at least some of sensing portions in different sections of the

security posts

510 and 520 sense relevant information for detecting metal/electronic objects and transmit the sensed information to their corresponding signal processing units to detect signal characteristics (signatures) of the metal and electronic objects. If a zone in the safety post detects the presence of a metallic or electronic object, the zone alarm unit may trigger a local alarm located in that zone, thereby providing an indication of where the detected object is located. An integral alarm may also be triggered to indicate the detection of a suspicious object.

Figures 5B-5C illustrate different configurations of a security door according to embodiments of the present teachings. In these embodiments, the security gate 530 is configured to use one security post on one side and only a post without detection means and alarm on the other side. Figure 5B shows an exemplary security gate 530 with a single security post 520 on the right side and a plain post 535 with base 535-1 on the left side. Figure 5C shows another exemplary security gate 540 in an inverted configuration with a single security post 510 used on the left and a common post 550 with a base 550-1 on the right. Both configurations have a top 505 to form a security gate. In some embodiments, top 505 may be omitted so that two pillars on either side may form a security check path (without a top). Any of the

exemplary security gates

500, 530, and 540 as shown in figures 5A-5C may also have a corresponding variation of the security path without the top 505. One example security path 560 shown in figure 5D is configured based on removing a security gate 540 of the top 505. In some embodiments, a column without means for detecting metal/electronic objects may also be equipped with a device therein for detecting other substances/objects, such that a security gate or security pathway so formed may be configured to detect multiple types of objects/substances carried by a person passing through the gate/pathway.

Fig. 5E illustrates yet another use of a safety post according to embodiments of the present teachings. In this illustrated embodiment, the security column 510 is used in conjunction with a door access controller (access gate controller)590 to control access via the door 580 based on detection results from the security column 510. In such use, when a person intending to pass through door 580 accesses door 580, security post 510 detects whether the person carries or hides a metal or electronic object. In the absence of detection of metal/electronic objects from the person, the security post 510 may wirelessly notify the access controller 590, and the access controller 590 may then control the door 580 to open to allow the person to pass. On the other hand, if a suspicious object, either a metal or an electronic object, is detected, the security post 510 notifies the access control 590 so that it does not open the door 580 to deny access.

Various embodiments of the safety post in terms of physical construction or composition have been discussed herein. The following discussion relates to functional aspects of the safety post to achieve the intended purpose of detecting metallic and/or electronic objects. FIG. 6A summarizes the types of objects and the means of detecting them using safety posts, according to embodiments of the present teachings. Types of objects to be detected according to the present disclosure include metal objects and electronic objects. Both types of object detection are based on magnetic information sensed by a person passing by. Regarding the detection, the presence of a metal substance having a complex composition can be detected based on a change in a magnetic field caused by the metal. Comparing metals with electronic objects, metal objects can contain a large amount of metals, while electronic objects can have metals mixed with other substances and therefore much lower content. For example, electronic devices may have limited metal-containing parts, such as coils, metal wires in circuit boards, and the like. Therefore, the key to distinguishing between metallic objects and electronic objects is to detect the difference in magnetic field changes caused by the presence of metal. This is accomplished by analyzing the nature or character of the magnetic field changes caused by the presence of metal in either the metallic or electronic object. This is listed as one way of detecting electronic objects in fig. 6A. Another alternative method of detecting electronic objects is via a communication means, as shown in fig. 6A. This method is used to detect an electronic object or device that is turned on. Details of detecting such expected objects are discussed in detail below.

Figure 6B depicts an exemplary high-level system diagram of a security column 210 connected to a server 650 via a network connection 640, according to embodiments of the present teachings. In this illustrated embodiment, the safety post 210 includes a plurality of zones (e.g., zones 210-1, 210-2, and 210-3), zone alarms associated with their corresponding zones (i.e., zone 1 alarm 208-1, zone 2 alarm 208-2, and zone 3 alarm 208-3), a central controller 600, and an overall alarm 210-4. As discussed herein, either each segment includes its own magnetic field generating unit (as shown in fig. 2B), or there is one overall magnetic field generating unit (not shown). In some embodiments, each section in the safety post 210 independently detects the presence of a metallic and/or electronic object. If a zone detects a target object, the zone alarm unit of that zone triggers its associated zone alarm. In some embodiments, each section may gather information sensed by sensors located in that section and process the sensed information and send such processed information to an overall signal processing unit, where information from different sections may be integrated in order to make an overall determination regarding the presence of a target object.

The central controller 600 handles the operation at the safety post level. It includes a signal integration unit 610, a display screen 212 (see fig. 3A-3C), and an alarm triggering unit 620. Each segment may send its detection result or processed information to the signal integration unit 610, which signal integration unit 610 integrates the segment results and determines whether a target object is detected. When the target object is detected, the signal integration unit 610 may activate the alarm triggering unit 620 to trigger the overall alarm 210-4. In some embodiments, each section may be flexibly configured to simply process the sensed information to forward or determine, for example, whether metal is present within the vertical range assigned to the section and whether the detected object is from a metal object or an electronic object. When the signal integration unit 610 is to determine the target object, information from the different zones may be integrated to assess whether a metal or electronic object is present and where it is present, e.g., based on a detailed analysis of the magnetic field variations. In some embodiments, the signal integration unit 610 may also function as a controller that interfaces with the display screen 212 to receive operating parameters such as sensitivity levels specified by a user and transmit such operating parameters to different segments to facilitate their respective operations.

In some embodiments, a security pole, either operating alone or in a larger structure (such as a security gate), may operate as a distributed unit and connect with a server located elsewhere, which may transmit its detection results to the server. This may be in addition to recording the detected event in its own local storage (not shown). In this case, the signal integration unit 610 may transmit certain information to the server 640 via the network 630. In some embodiments, in addition to the detection of metallic or electronic objects, other types of information associated with a person carrying the detected metallic or electronic device may be sent to the server after such information is obtained. Details thereof will be provided with reference to fig. 7A-8B.

Fig. 6C is a flow chart of an exemplary process of an exemplary safety post 210, in accordance with embodiments of the present teachings. First, at 605, operating parameters of the safety column, e.g., operating parameters for generating a magnetic field and/or sensitivity levels for assessing whether metal is present or whether observed magnetic field changes correspond to metal or electronic objects used in the analysis of the sensed signals, are set or specified. With the operating parameters set, at 615, a magnetic field(s) is generated based on the operating parameters. In operation, the sensing portions in different sections in the safety post obtain sensed information from, for example, a fluxgate sensor at 625. This sensed information is sent to a signal processing unit, which then analyzes the sensed information at 635 and determines the presence of a metal/electronic object based on the signal processing at 645. If it is determined at 650 that no metal is detected (i.e., no metal/electronic object is detected), then operation proceeds to the next determination by returning to step 625.

If it is determined at 650 that a segment detects a metal or electronic object, the segment activates the corresponding segment alarm at 655 to report the detection. Each segment sends their respective test results (e.g., whether the test is positive or negative) to the central controller 600, where the signal integration unit 610 integrates the test results from the different segments at 660. As discussed herein, in some embodiments, the central controller 600 may separately identify 665 whether metal and/or electronic objects are present. In some embodiments, transmitted from each segment may be sensed information to the central controller 600 (rather than detection results — see the link between 645 and 660), such that detection is accomplished at the signal integration unit 610 based on the sensed information from the different segments. In some embodiments, there may be separate detection results sent from each zone to the central controller 600 (see the link between 650 and 660). In some embodiments, the segments may send both the sensed information and the detection results to a central controller for integrated processing.

For detected metal/electronic objects, signal integration unit 610 controls display of the detection results on touchable display screen 212 at 670. As discussed herein, in some embodiments, the central controller 600 may send the detection results to the server 640 via the network 630 at 675. This option may be selected based on the application in which the safety post is deployed. For example, the application may involve different entry points and a central control site where safety posts are deployed to gather detection information from all deployed posts. Specific applications involving such an arrangement may include corporate entry control, where there are multiple entry points at different entry/exit points, with a central monitoring facility to consolidate detection information from such entry/exit points.

In some embodiments, the detection of the presence of metal is based on observed changes in the magnetic field caused by the presence of an object having metal therein. Different types of objects may have different metal contents. For example, metal objects such as knives have a high metal content, while electronic objects may have a much lower metal content, e.g., metal may only be present in limited areas in a smartphone (e.g., only in pins, transformers, PCB boards, or chips). The different metal contents present in different types of objects may cause different variations in the magnetic field. The observed changes in magnetic field caused by the presence of each type of object can be analyzed, quantitatively characterized, and then used to classify some of the later observed changes in magnetic field to see if similar types of objects cause later observed changes in magnetic field.

In some embodiments, to characterize the magnetic field variations, different measurements are used, e.g., the amplitude, phase, and strength of the variations. Fig. 6D illustrates

exemplary distributions

660 and 670 characterizing magnetic field variations caused by the presence of metallic objects and electronic objects, respectively. In this illustration, the X-axis may represent the phase of the observed signal, the Y-axis may represent the frequency of the observed signal, and the Z-axis may represent the amplitude of the observed signal. In this illustration, the two

exemplary distributions

660 and 670 are substantially different, one (e.g., 660) characterizing the distribution of the observed magnetic field changes caused by the presence of a metallic object and the other (e.g., 670) characterizing the distribution of the observed magnetic field changes caused by the presence of an electronic object. Since the two illustrated

exemplary distributions

660 and 670 are substantially different, they each provide a basis for modeling the characteristics of the magnetic field variations caused by the presence of a corresponding type of object. In some embodiments, each of these exemplary distributions may be modeled parametrically to enable future classification of object types (e.g., metallic or electronic objects) based on observed magnetic field variations. If a person passing through the safety post does not carry either a metallic or an electronic object, the magnetic field variation may not be observed, or at least at a negligible level, so that it can be distinguished from a distribution representing the magnetic field variation caused by a metallic object or a distribution representing the magnetic field variation caused by an electronic object.

Distributions corresponding to different types of objects may be used to generate a model via, for example, machine learning based on training data obtained from historical detections. After quantitatively modeling the

distributions

660 and 670 via learning, appropriate criteria can be derived that are used to classify future observations into any modeled class (i.e., metallic or electronic objects). Taking the example shown in fig. 6D as an example, the two

distributions

660 and 670 may be partitioned using, for example, some thresholding criterion in the derived feature space, e.g., to minimize the classification error rate. Such criteria may be represented by exemplary surfaces 680 as shown in fig. 6E and 6F. Note that the exemplary thresholding surface 680 may appear linear. However, the criteria learned to be used as a partition boundary between two exemplary models characterizing two exemplary distributions may be in any other form, such as a non-linear surface. Furthermore, although the exemplary distributions shown in fig. 6D-6F are in a three-dimensional feature space, they are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to be limiting. In general, features derived from sensor data related to magnetic field changes may be in a feature space of any dimension.

The system diagrams and corresponding operational flow of the safety post as depicted in fig. 6B-6C support the detection of metallic or electronic objects via analysis of the characteristics or features of the magnetic field variations. As shown in fig. 6A, another alternative method of detecting an electronic object is via a communication means, for example by detecting a signal from a moving electronic device. Fig. 7A depicts an exemplary high-level architecture of a system implemented in a security column for detecting metal/electronic objects, in accordance with an embodiment of the present teachings. The illustrated architecture includes different processing layers, including an internet of things (IoT) platform layer 700, a modeling layer 710, an information analysis layer 720, and an information collection layer 730.

The information collection layer 730 includes means to receive information from different sources in order to facilitate detection. This received information is then sent to various information analysis means at the information analysis layer 720 for signal processing and detection of the target object. In this illustrated architecture, depending on the detection results (implemented at the information analysis layer 720), the information collection layer 730 may be further invoked to collect additional information such that the information flow between the information collection layer 730 and the information analysis layer 720 is bidirectional. In analyzing the information collected by the information collection layer 730, the information analysis layer 720 may utilize the models stored in the modeling layer 710 to facilitate its analysis. For example, a model may be trained on how to detect metallic and electronic objects based on the characteristics of the magnetic field variations. The modeling layer 710 may include various training mechanisms that are arranged to obtain, via training based on training data, appropriate models to be used by the information analysis layer 720 for different types of detection purposes. In some embodiments, training data may be provisioned to modeling layer 710 via IoT platform 700, and IoT platform 700 may be connected with many sources via a network connection.

As discussed herein, the information collection layer 730 may gather other types of information, such as biometric information and ambient information, in addition to magnetic field information for detecting a target object. Such information is acquired, for example, after the target object is detected to acquire information related to the target object. FIG. 7B illustrates different types of information that may also be gathered and extracted by a security post according to embodiments of the present teachings. As shown, the biometric/ambient information that the security post may request to acquire or extract includes facial information of the person with the detected metal/electronic object, physical characteristics of the person, … …, and some features related to the spatial environment. Additional features of the person and surroundings can also be extracted from the acquired sensor information. For example, facial features may be extracted that may be used, for example, to identify a person. Facial features may also be used to estimate a person's emotional state (e.g., stress). Based on the acquired visual information, certain physical characteristics may also be estimated, including, but not limited to, physiological characteristics of the person (e.g., height, hair color, build, color of jacket, etc.), estimated behavior (e.g., waving, shouting, limbs, etc.), and motion (e.g., how fast the person walks). Ambient information may also be obtained from the scene in which the target object is detected and then used to estimate certain spatial parameters associated with the person, such as the spatial location/position of the person and/or the distance between the person and some reference point in space.

To facilitate extraction and estimation of various features as discussed herein, different models may be trained at the modeling layer 710. Fig. 7C illustrates different types of models that may be used by the safety post to detect different types of information, according to embodiments of the present teachings. As discussed herein, the modeling layer 710 may utilize training data gathered at the IoT layer 700 to train models for different purposes. For example, the detection of metallic and/or electronic objects may be performed based on a model that is trained based on training data from previously confirmed detections. Models for detecting metal objects can be derived such that they provide guidance for subsequent detection. Similarly, a model for detecting an electronic object may also be trained based on past ground truth training data that provides information about expected characteristics associated with magnetic field variations observed from the electronic object. Such expected characteristics of the magnetic field variations of the electronic object can be distinguished from the characteristics of the magnetic field variations of the metallic object. Such differences may also be embedded in corresponding models learned for each type of such target object.

Further, as discussed herein, additional information may also be analyzed in connection with each detection of a target object. For example, once a target object (either a metal object or an electronic object) is detected, biometric, behavioral, physical or spatial information about the detection may be obtained, so that further information may be provided for each detection. To achieve this, the model may be trained to derive such additional information. For example, models for face recognition, for estimating the behavior of a person, and for estimating spatial features associated with a person may also be trained and used. The model for estimating the face-related features may include a face color detection model for detecting color patches in the image corresponding to the human face and/or a face surface model for identifying the human using depth information associated with the human face. Similarly, a model for estimating a person's behavior may also be trained to estimate a person's physical characteristics (such as height or a person or hand waving) and/or some behavior of the person (such as anger). A model for estimating a motion parameter associated with a person may also be trained. In some embodiments, the model may also be obtained via training for determining the distance and/or specific location of the person, as shown in fig. 7C.

The information analysis layer 720, as shown in FIG. 7A, may include various modules that may control the information collection layer 730 to obtain desired information and process signals from the information collection layer 730 based on models provided by the modeling layer 710. In some embodiments, the information analysis layer 720 may include signal processing units in different sections and a signal integration unit 610 (see fig. 6B), which may be integrated or generally organized as a target object and a surrounding information detection module. As discussed herein, an electronic object (such as a smartphone or tablet) may be distinguished from a metal object by detecting different patterns of magnetic field changes caused by the amount of metal in the object. When the electronic object is in an active state (i.e., turned on), the electronic object may alternatively be detected via the communication means. In some embodiments, two different methods for detecting electronic objects may be used in different modes of operation, e.g., either together or separately. For example, based on an analysis of the magnetic field variations, an initial estimate may be derived as to whether an electronic object is detected, and then confirmed using communication means. As another example, metallic objects may be detected based on analysis of sensed magnetic field changes, while electronic objects may be separately detected using communication means.

FIG. 8A depicts an exemplary high-level diagram of a module 800 in a safety post for detecting a target object and surrounding information, according to an embodiment of the present teachings. In this illustrated embodiment, the target object and surrounding information detection module 800 includes a plurality of units for detecting metal/electronic objects, including a metal object detector 805, an electronic object detector 810, a communication unit 820, and a communication response signal detector 830. In some embodiments, in operation, when a signal is received from a sensing portion (e.g., a fluxgate sensor), the metal object detector 805 analyzes the signal to detect a magnetic signal change. The detection may be based on one or more models stored in model storage 806 for detecting the metal object. As discussed herein, a model for detecting a metal object may be generated based on machine learning from training data representing, for example, changes in a magnetic field caused by the presence of the metal object. If a metal object is detected, the metal object detector 805 sends out a signal indicating the presence of the metal object.

Electronic object detector 810 may also continue to detect the presence of electronic objects. In some embodiments, it may operate when no metal object is detected and the metal object detector 805 so notifies it. In some embodiments, electronic object detector 810 may also receive sensed magnetic signals from the magnetic flux sensors and analyze the magnetic field variations to detect the presence of an electronic object. For example, the magnetic field changes caused by the electronic object may have different characteristics than those caused by a metal object or the absence of both a metal and an electronic object. The detection may be based on one or more models stored in model storage 806 for detecting electronic objects. As discussed herein, a model for detecting an electronic object may be generated based on machine learning from training data representing, for example, changes in a magnetic field caused by the presence of the electronic object. In some embodiments, the distribution of magnetic field variations due to the presence of an electronic object may be captured in the model. In some embodiments, the difference between the distribution of magnetic field variations for the electronic object and the distribution of magnetic field variations for the metal object may also be captured in a model for detecting the metal object and the electronic object.

The detection of the electronic object via analysis of the magnetic field variations may be further confirmed using communication means. In some embodiments, detection of an electronic object that is turned on may rely directly on the communication means without going through analysis of the magnetic field variations. To detect an open electronic object via communication means, electronic object detector 810 invokes communication unit 820 to send communication signals within a predetermined domain (scope) or range according to one or more communication protocols stored in communication protocol configuration storage 802. As discussed herein, the communication protocol may be any communication framework and its corresponding protocol including, but not limited to, WiFi, bluetooth, etc. Following the protocol of the different wireless communication frameworks, the communication unit 820 sends out a communication signal and then notifies the communication response signal detector 830 to wait to see whether a response signal is received. If the communication response signal detector 830 receives the response signal, then an electronic object is present and the electronic object detector 810 sends out a signal indicating that an electronic object was detected.

As discussed herein, in some embodiments, additional information may be obtained that may help reveal more about a scene associated with the detection of a metal or electronic object. Such additional information includes biometric information of the person associated with the detected target object, behavioral/physical/spatial information observed in the scene. To achieve this, the target object and surrounding information detection unit 800 further includes, for example, a biometric information detector 840, a surrounding information detector 860, a behavior information detector 850, and an emotion detector 870. In some embodiments, upon detection of a metal or electronic object, the biometric information detector 840 may be invoked to obtain biometric information of the carrier of the detected metal or electronic object. Such biometric information may include facial information or any information related to the body of the carrier.

In some embodiments, other modules for detecting other types of information may also be invoked to gather other types of information, depending on the application needs. For example, an ambient information detector 860 (not shown) may be activated to gather information of the surrounding scene and analyze it and generate useful information. Furthermore, the carrier's emotions and/or behaviors may also be informational, such that behavior information detector 850 and/or emotion detector 870 may also be invoked to gather information for analysis. To support such activities, each module that is activated activates an associated sensor in the cluster of multimodal sensors 804 and gathers the required information from the environment. The multimodal sensor may include, but is not limited to, a visual sensor, an acoustic sensor, a depth sensor, or any other type of sensor.

Based on the acquired sensor information, each invoked module may act on the relevant information and extract or identify informative features. For example, the biometric information detector 840 may gather, for example, visual facial information and extract relevant features that characterize a person's face. The ambient information detector 860 may gather visual images of the environment in which the person is located and estimate various information, e.g., related to the environment or spatial characteristics of the environment, such as an estimated location of the person or a distance from a camera that captured the image. The behavior information detector 850 may gather sensor data to facilitate its analysis of the behavior of a person. Human behavior can be observed visually (e.g., waving a fist) and audibly (e.g., shouting) and estimated based on sensor information from different modalities. The emotion detector 870 may also be applied to analyze, for example, a human facial expression to detect certain types of emotions, such as anger, uneasiness, fear, and the like. Such information about the person and surroundings derived from the multi-modal sensory data may be based on various models stored in 806. To send this derived information to a display screen or server, the different types of information obtained by the various detectors (840, 850, 860, and 870) can then be sent to a carrier package generator 880 where all of the information will be organized and then sent out to be displayed on screen 620 or sent to server 650 (see fig. 6B).

Fig. 8B is a flowchart of an exemplary process of the target object and surrounding information detection module 800 according to an embodiment of the present teachings. In operation, at 812, a magnetic field change sensed by, for example, a fluxgate sensor is first received. At 815, this received information is processed to detect the presence of a metal object. If it is determined at 817 that no metal is detected, processing further detects whether an electronic object is present at 822. If it is determined at 817 that a metal object is detected, the signal processing unit triggers the zone alarm to report the detection by sending a signal at 825 indicating that a metal object is detected, and then proceeds to 822 to detect whether an electronic object is present.

In some cases, it is possible that electronic objects coexist with metallic objects. When both metallic objects and electronic objects are to be detected, the threshold for determining whether any detected metal is present may be set relatively low (as the electronic object may contain a relatively small amount of metal). If the detected metal exceeds a threshold, then a determination of both the metal object and the electronic object is performed. In this case, the process continues to detect the electronic object even after the metallic object is detected. As discussed herein, because the metal content in an electronic object is relatively low, the reliability of detecting the presence of the electronic object may be enhanced via other means.

When it is determined at 826 that an electronic object is detected based on a change in the magnetic field, processing may optionally continue to use the communication means to confirm or enhance detection of the turned-on electronic object. To detect an open electronic object via communication means, the communication unit 820 in fig. 8A sends out one or more communication signals at 827 according to some communication protocol with predetermined ranges and parameters and triggers the communication response signal detector 830 to detect any response signal from the electronic object. If it is determined at 829 that no response signal is received, it indicates that no open electronic object is detected. In this case, the process proceeds to step 812 for the next detection. If a response signal is received, then detection of an open electronic device is indicated. In this case, communication response signal detector 830 notifies electronic object detector 810, which sends a signal out at 832 to the safety post to report the detection of the electronic object.

As discussed herein, after detection of a metal/electronic object, additional information associated with the detection may be acquired, analyzed, and reported. If it is determined at 835 that additional information is not to be acquired, then processing proceeds to step 812 for the next test. If additional information is to be acquired, then the multimodal sensor 804 is activated to acquire, for example, biometric and environmental information at 837. Some of this acquired information (such as biometric information of a person carrying the detected target object) may be sent at 842 via network 640 to, for example, server 650 for archiving evidence of the detection event. If it is determined at 845 that additional information is to be used to extract other relevant features that characterize the surroundings in more detail in relation to the person carrying the detected target object, various modules (e.g., 840, 850, 860, and/or 870) may be invoked to detect different features associated with the person and the surroundings at 837. This includes, but is not limited to, facial features, spatial features (distance, location, etc.), mood-related assessments, behavior-related assessments, and the like. Such features, once extracted, can be sent at 852 to, for example, server 650 for archiving surrounding evidence associated with the detection.

Figure 9 is an illustrative diagram of an exemplary mobile device architecture that may be used to implement a dedicated system embodying the present teachings in accordance with various embodiments. In this example, the device on which the present teachings are implemented corresponds to a mobile device 900, including, but not limited to, a smartphone, a tablet, a music player, a handheld game console, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, and a wearable computing device (e.g., glasses, watch, etc.), or in any other form factor. The mobile device 900 may include one or more central processing units ("CPU") 940, one or more graphics processing units ("GPU") 930, a display 920, memory 960, a communication platform 910, such as a wireless communication module, storage 990, and one or more input/output (I/O) devices 940. Any other suitable components may also be included in the mobile device 900, including but not limited to a system bus or a controller (not shown). As shown in fig. 9, a mobile operating system 970 (e.g., iOS, Android, Windows Phone, etc.) and one or more applications 980 may be loaded from storage 990 into memory 960 for execution by CPU 940. Applications 980 may include a browser or any other suitable mobile application for managing a session system on mobile device 900. User interactions may be implemented via I/O devices 940 and provided to automated conversation partners via network(s) 120.

To implement the various modules, units, and their functions described in this disclosure, a computer hardware platform may be used as the hardware platform(s) for one or more of the elements described herein. The hardware elements, operating systems and programming languages of such computers are conventional in nature, and it is assumed that those skilled in the art are familiar enough to adapt these techniques to the appropriate settings as described herein. A computer with user interface elements may be used to implement a Personal Computer (PC) or other type of workstation or terminal device, but if suitably programmed, the computer may also act as a server. It is believed that those skilled in the art are familiar with the structure, programming, and general operation of such computer equipment and, therefore, the drawings should be self-explanatory.

Figure 10 is an illustrative diagram of an exemplary computing device architecture that can be used to implement a special purpose system that implements the present teachings in accordance with various embodiments. Such a dedicated system incorporating the present teachings has a functional block diagram illustration of a hardware platform including user interface elements. The computer may be a general purpose computer or a special purpose computer. Both may be used to implement a dedicated system of the present teachings. This computer 1000 may be used to implement any component of a session (conversation) or dialog (dialog) management system, as described herein. For example, the session management system may be implemented on a computer such as the computer 1000 via its hardware, software programs, firmware, or a combination thereof. Although only one such computer is shown for convenience, computer functions associated with a session management system as described herein may be implemented in a distributed manner across multiple similar platforms to distribute processing load.

The computer 1000 includes, for example, a COM port 1050 connected to or from a network to facilitate data communications. The computer 1000 also includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU)1020 in the form of one or more processors for executing program instructions. The exemplary computer platform includes an internal communication bus 1010, different forms of program storage and data storage devices (e.g., disk 1070, Read Only Memory (ROM)1030, or Random Access Memory (RAM)1040), for various data files to be processed and/or transmitted by the computer 1000, and program instructions that may be executed by the CPU 1020. The computer 1000 also includes I/O components 1060 to support the flow of input/output between the computer and other components therein, such as user interface elements 1080. The computer 1000 may also receive programming and data via network communications.

Thus, aspects of the methods of dialog management and/or other processes described above may be implemented in programming. Program aspects of the technology may be considered to be an "article of manufacture" or an "article of manufacture" typically in the form of executable code and/or associated data that is executed or implemented on some type of machine-readable medium. Tangible, non-transitory "storage" type media include any or all of the memories or other storage devices (such as various semiconductor memories, tape drives, disk drives, etc.) used in computers, processors, etc. or their associated modules that may provide storage for software programming at any time.

All or part of the software may sometimes be transmitted over a network, such as the internet or various other telecommunications networks. For example, such communication may enable loading of software from one computer or processor into another computer or processor, e.g., in conjunction with session management. Thus, another type of medium that can carry software elements includes optical, electrical, and electromagnetic waves, such as used across physical interfaces between local devices through wired and optical landline networks and through various air links. The physical elements that carry such waves (such as wired or wireless links, optical links, etc.) can also be considered to be media that carry software. As used herein, unless limited to a tangible "storage" medium, terms such as a computer or machine "readable medium" refer to any medium that participates in providing instructions to a processor for execution.

Thus, a machine-readable medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, tangible storage media, carrier wave media, or physical transmission media. Non-volatile storage media includes, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as any storage device in any computer(s), etc., which may be used to implement the system as shown, or any component thereof. Volatile storage media includes dynamic memory, such as the main memory of such computer platforms. Tangible transmission media include coaxial cables; copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that form the bus within a computer system. Carrier-wave transmission media can take the form of electrical or electromagnetic signals or acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during Radio Frequency (RF) and Infrared (IR) data communications. Thus, common forms of computer-readable media include, for example: a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, or DVD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical storage medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave transporting data or instructions, cables or links transporting such a carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer can read programming code and/or data. Many of these forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to a physical processor for execution.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present teachings are capable of numerous modifications and/or enhancements. For example, while the implementation of the various components described above may be implemented in a hardware device, it may also be implemented as a pure software solution — e.g., an installation on an existing server. Further, fraudulent network detection techniques as disclosed herein may be implemented as firmware, a firmware/software combination, a firmware/hardware combination, or a hardware/firmware/software combination.

While what are considered to constitute the present teachings and/or other examples have been described above, it should be understood that various modifications may be made thereto and that the subject matter disclosed herein may be implemented in various forms and examples, and that the teachings may be applied in numerous applications, only some of which have been described herein. The following claims are intended to claim any and all applications, modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the present teachings.

Claims

1. A method implemented on a security pole for detecting a target object, the security pole having at least one processor and a communication platform connectable to a network, the method comprising:

receiving information from one or more sensors disposed on each of a plurality of sections of a safety post, wherein the plurality of sections of the safety post are arranged in a vertical direction and each section is designated to detect a target object within a vertical range;

for each section of the corresponding vertical extent of the safety post,

analyzing information received from the corresponding one or more sensors to extract features characterizing magnetic field variations sensed in the corresponding vertical range,

determining whether a target object is detected within a corresponding vertical range based on the extracted features, an

If a target object is detected, triggering an alarm associated with the zone to indicate that the target object is detected within the corresponding vertical range; and

determining an overall detection result based on the detection from each of the plurality of sections; and

and displaying the whole detection result on a display screen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the target object comprises at least one of a metal object and an electronic object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprise fluxgate sensors.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of segments comprises an aligned assembly of a lower segment, a middle segment, and an upper segment.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of determining comprises

Classifying according to one or more models representing different types of target objects based on the extracted features, wherein the one or more models are derived via machine learning based on training data related to magnetic field variations caused by the presence of the different types of target objects; and

whether the target object exists is determined based on the classification result.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining, via the communication means, whether an opened electronic object is present in proximity to the security post.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising gathering additional information and/or surrounding information about the person with the target object if the target object is detected.

8. A machine-readable medium having information recorded thereon for detecting a target object via a safety post, wherein the information, when read by a machine, causes the machine to perform:

for each section of the corresponding vertical extent of the safety post,

and displaying the whole detection result on a display screen.

9. The medium of claim 8, wherein the target object comprises at least one of a metal object and an electronic object.

10. The medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a fluxgate sensor.

11. The media of claim 8, wherein the plurality of segments comprises an aligned assembly of a lower segment, a middle segment, and an upper segment.

12. The medium of claim 9, wherein the step of determining comprises

13. The medium of claim 9, wherein when the information is read by the machine, it further causes the machine to perform determining whether an opened electronic object is present in the vicinity of the security post via the communication means.

14. The medium of claim 8, wherein when the information is read by the machine, it further causes the machine to perform gathering additional information and/or surrounding information related to the person with the target object if the target object is detected.

15. A safety post, comprising:

a base;

an integral alarm; and

a plurality of segments disposed in a vertical direction between the base and the integral alarm, each of the plurality of segments designated to detect a target object within a corresponding vertical range; and

a signal integration unit configured for integrating detection results from the plurality of segments to derive an overall detection result, wherein

Each section includes:

one or more sensors configured to sense information related to a magnetic field within a corresponding vertical range,

a signal processing unit configured to analyze information to extract features characterizing magnetic field variations sensed by the one or more sensors and determine whether a target object is detected within a corresponding vertical range based on the extracted features, and

a zone alarm configured to be triggered upon detection of a target object.

16. The safety post of claim 15, wherein the target object comprises at least one of a metal object and an electronic object.

17. The safety post of claim 15, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a fluxgate sensor.

18. The safety post of claim 15 wherein the plurality of sections comprises an aligned assembly of a lower section, a middle section, and an upper section.

19. The safety post of claim 16, further comprising an alarm trigger unit configured to activate the integral alarm when the integral result indicates detection of the target object.

20. The security post of claim 16 wherein the signal integration unit is further configured to send the overall detection result to a server via a network connection.